


Tooth and Nail

by Luxicorde



Series: FFXIV Write 2020 [11]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Fluff, Pre-Canon, Pre-Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:00:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26445265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luxicorde/pseuds/Luxicorde
Summary: Erastus gets to see the outside world for the first time.
Series: FFXIV Write 2020 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906447





	Tooth and Nail

**Author's Note:**

> I swear I was going somewhere with this but Diadem has fried my brain and I want that damn title.

Erastus was coming along wonderfully. It had taken four years to get to this point, with Alanus having to coax him from his shell both metaphorically _and_ literally, but he had done it. The boy was frighteningly curious, and his desire to simply know things helped him learn languages quickly. Erastus's ability to summon was also coming along nicely, and he improved with every session. Now it was time for a different phase of his education. He didn't want for power when taking the form of an eikon, but technique was another matter entirely. His style of attacking was more or less lashing out at anything with more aether than boot leather, and it wouldn't do to send him to combat only to have him turn on his allies. 

There were better candidates to teach him how to fight, and Alanus had already sent word to Gekkai, but he could do worse than the samurai of Doma. They were strong, if a bit proud for their own good. And if nothing else, it would be a good introduction into organized combat. Besides, Alanus had some business with the former king, so a trip to Doma was already on his books.

The ride over was uneventful, save for Erastus attempting to explore every ilm of the airship. It wouldn't do to keep him on a leash, but holding his hand for the entire journey wasn't a possibility when he was being hounded at every turn for information on this that and whatever else. It was rather amusing when the main pilot had to walk Erastus back to his quarters, though still a bit frustrating.

\---

Erastus didn't really get why they left home. 

It was pretty here, but Alanus was busy, and he wasn't allowed to go too far. The castle was pretty too, but he'd already looked at everything there was to look at. He couldn't even talk with the people that came through the main hall. Some said hello, but he didn't know how to respond. Alanus had told him he could understand any language, but he'd still have to learn how to speak and write. He didn't really get it, and he wished people would just use something he knew.

It didn't take long for him to resort to swinging his legs. Erastus wanted to get up and move around, but last time he did that the man from the airship yelled at him and drug him all the way back to his room. 

After a while he'd simply laid down on the bench. It wasn't like he had much else to do, but he quickly realized he wasn't alone. Normally people just came and went, but this one was sticking around, and they were loud enough that Erastus couldn't ignore them. Eventually they worked out they were being watched and stepped forward, giving Erastus a full view. He was small, much smaller than any of the other people Erastus had seen, but still bigger than himself. He was doman, but his hair was kind of a messy bird's nest, everything sticking out at odd angles instead of being cut short or tied back. He looked nice, with very friendly eyes, and he didn't _sound_ bad, but he was sort of just… staring. Erastus didn't know what he was supposed to do about that. 

He also didn't know what he was supposed to do when bird's nest started to walk towards him. He wanted to duck behind the bench, or the pillars, _something_ , but Alanus had told him it was rude to hide from people. Bird's nest was already closer to him than any outsider had been, and Erastus wished he could sink into a puddle, feeling the aether bubbling in his chest.

"Hello! My name's Hien, are you looking for someone?"


End file.
